Boy's Death By Choking Is Ruled An Accident

BRISTOL — The death of a 3-year-old boy who choked while trying to slide out of his highchair was ruled accidental Friday by the state medical examiner's office.

"It appears at this point to be a tragic accident," Police Chief Anthony Vastola said Friday.

Andrew F. Sylvester Jr. of 42 Merriman St. died Wednesday after he choked when his neck was pinned against the highchair's feeding tray as he tried to slide from the chair, police said.

The feeding tray was apparently fastened tightly to the highchair so the boy could not get out, Vastola said.

His mother, Ellen Sylvester, had placed him in a highchair in the bathroom of the home because the toddler had been acting up. In the bathroom, the boy could see himself in the mirror, police said.

"Apparently the mother would do that to try to calm him down," Vastola said.

"It's obviously an accidental death," said Morton H. Libbey, Ellen Sylvester's brother, who spoke on behalf of the family Friday. "It's a huge tragedy and the parents are distraught."

Libbey, a lawyer, did not dispute the police account of what happened, adding that the incident happened very quickly.

Police said Ellen Sylvester and the boy's aunt were in the living area of the home where they could see the child, Vastola said.

Police said the boy was probably in the bathroom no longer than 10 minutes when he tried to slide out and began choking.

The boy's mother tried to administer CPR, with the guidance of a police dispatcher who provided instructions over the phone until police arrived shortly after 1 p.m.

Police took over the first aid when they arrived. The boy was brought to Bristol Hospital by ambulance, where he was pronounced dead, police Det. Brian Suchinski said.

The toddler died of asphyxia, or the cutting off of oxygen to the lungs, a spokeswoman in the state medical examiner's office said Friday. "Something went against his neck and he stopped breathing," the spokeswoman said, adding that the death was ruled accidental.

But police are still investigating the incident, and have taken the highchair as evidence. Detectives have not yet questioned the boy's mother